The task of managing crises on social media is daily and constant. Not every mean comment is a crisis, so you need to always be on the lookout for what people say about you. Preparing and taking precautions for possible crisis situations is the first and most essential step in overcoming it.
A social media crisis is any activity that takes place on digital platforms that negatively impacts the brand’s reputation.
Everything that is communicated on these networks is later evaluated and accepted (or not) by the public, and the image created in it, based on the performance and behavior of a brand on its social media, directly affects its reputation.
However, you can always foresee potential problems and prepare to react to each one by creating a response plan. With preparation, it becomes easier to face a crisis – which must be handled with transparency and authenticity.
It is essential that the public understands that whoever is behind a profile on a social media understands what the other is going through, as they are also human, and that the mistake made was quickly recognized and will be repaired.
A quick response can also often prevent a small problem from becoming a major crisis, and for that, you need to be constantly monitoring the issues you are involved in on social media.
To this end, it is advisable to use social listening tools, such as Netbase, Brandwatch, Audiense and Sprout Social. These software perform the monitoring and analysis of mentions and comments related to the brand and also its competitors.
But what should I do if a crisis is triggered?
· Stay calm and don’t panic – this is because there was a preparation for these situations – and with the fulfillment of the response plan by the entire internal team, the crisis will be more likely to be overcome.
· Ensure internal cooperation – so that all internal employees are aware of the problem, and the rules for acting in the face of the crisis must be global and complied with by all.
· Don’t auto-reply – respond to comments clearly and individually. It is important for the public to realize that whoever is behind social media is also human and understands the needs of others.
· Take a break from timed posts – avoid being seen as insensitive and do not post content on social media and website that is not related to the crisis. You must focus on overcoming this adversity.
By Maria Eduarda Coelho, press officer trainee